Visionaries
by little miss tiny shoes
Summary: A fanfiction about Visionaries. I can't believe that they don't have a section all to themselves. The Knights of the Magical Light have a new member, and so do the Darkling Lords
1. Out in the Open

This is a little story that I started ages ago, I came across it again and I thought I'd put it up for you guys to look at. RR please. Cheers gang.

I don't own anything. I just like to write.

**Visionaries**

**Out in the Open**

Feryl glanced across to Arzon. "It's unlike Chase to be late for a training session."

Arzon agreed pausing in his work to direct his gaze towards the training area of the castle. "And she's going to make Ectar angry."

The Spectral Knight in question was already passing back and forth glancing up every other second.

"Have either of you two seen Chase?" He demanded tersely.

"Ectar we're as confused as you are." Feryl placated.

"Witterquick may have seen her." Arzon suggested.

"I'll go find him." Ectar nodded at them. "Stay here. If she shows up tell her she's late and that I'll deal with her when I get back."

Arzon and Feryl exchanged looks, neither one wanted to be in Chase's shoes at the moment.

Ectar pretended he hadn't seen their look as he strode through the castle. His demanding of discipline was a common joke among the Spectral Knights. You can take the man out of the police... He'd heard that comment made about him more times than he could count. He allowed a grim smile to cross his face. It did the youngsters good to be always on their toes. And he had to admit to himself that they came up to scratch whenever they were called upon to perform. He wanted to keep up that standard. Chase was new but he'd pretty much whipped her into shape, no cause for her to be getting sloppy though.

Chase worried him. She was young and impulsive, prone to stupid stunts. Her talent was unquestionable and Merklynn had chosen her himself. She deserved to be part of the Spectral Knights. But that didn't stop him worrying about her. That was the price you paid for family, he may be her uncle but sometimes he felt more like her father. Delkin had died so young, he'd missed so much of Chase's growing up. It wasn't enough that he pushed Chase to be as good as the other Knights, she had to be better. She had to prove that she could succeed on her own merit, not just the bond on family. And she had risen to the task that he set her, risen to it and bettered it. He had no fear that she was capable, but still he worried for her.

She had one overwhelming disadvantage that had been completely unforeseeable. Duncan. The boy, man, he was a grown man now Ectar made himself realise, was obsessed with Chase. He targeted her in ever clash between the two groups, as though beating her in a battle would win her favour. Ectar had his own opinions on what Duncan's actions would be should he ever have Chase at his mercy. She needed to be able to fend him off, something she had proven herself capable of time and time again. Still Ectar pushed these training sessions. He knew that he didn't have to worry. Chase was competent and she Witterquick, Feryl and Arzon were almost inseparable. Any one of them would gladly sacrifice for each other. Not that he Cryotek, Leoric of Galadria would hold back either. The strength of the Spectral Knights lay in friendship and trust.

His ire at Chase's tardiness was slowly fading and he could grudgingly admit that he was behaving like a father again. Sometimes he felt like a parent trying to control an unruly brood. The younger Knights sometimes reminded him of nothing more than pups, gambolling, playing and daring each other to more and more dangerous feats of daring. He trusted them not to let any harm befall each other, but a little restraining of their exuberant natures wouldn't go amiss. It was hard to think that Chase wasn't the little child he had once bounced on his knee. To him she was still the little girl who had cried when she scrapped her knee running to greet her uncle when he had paid them a rare visit. He reached Witterquick's sleeping quarters, he knocked but received no reply. He opened the door and stepped in, his amusement abruptly left him.

The two of them lay together in bed; Chase lay protectively enclosed in Witterquick's arms. Both were asleep although Witterquick was waking, reacting to Ectar being in the room. A detached part of Ectar recognised the training in Witterquick's alertness, he had learned his lessons well. Meanwhile his image of Chase as a child was shattered forever. He was furious at both of them, he couldn't decide who he was madder at. As Witterquick sleepily opened his eyes Ectar's anger found a target.

"What do you think you are doing?"

Witterquick went from sleeping to awake almost instantaneously. "Ectar... I..." He floundered, the older Knight's presence clearly throwing him.

Knowing it was petty Ectar refused to help him; he simply stood silently waiting for an answer.

Witterquick finally became awake enough to state: "I _was_ sleeping." When Ectar didn't respond he asked: "Is there a problem?"

"Only the one I see before me. This is a problem."

"Why." Witterquick's quick temper was rising as he stared Ectar down.

"Have you even considered your actions, or the consequences of them?"

"Of course I have. _We_ have. We're not children."

Ectar could not argue with that comment. As he glared down at Witterquick he saw Chase stir. The sound of raised voices had clearly roused her, she opened her brown eyes and took in the scene in front of her. Her startled gaze flew from Ectar to Witterquick, back to Ectar.

"You're late for practice." He told her before striding purposely from the room.

O

"Why did you hide this from us?" Leoric asked.

Witterquick and Chase stood before him, heads bowed. The other Spectral Knights sat around the room watching, waiting to comment if it became necessary.

"We didn't mean to hide anything." Chase answered, her eyes pleading for understanding. "We didn't really realise that there was anything ourselves, until a few days ago."

"We didn't set out to deceive any of you." Witterquick added.

"Leoric," Chase suddenly stared straight at him. "We shouldn't have kept any secrets, but we've done nothing wrong."

Leoric sighed. "Chase, I just wish you had come and talked this through with us."

"What is there to talk about?" Witterquick asked.

"You know that Duncan always centres his attack on Chase. Witterquick you may be placing yourself in great danger, should he be made aware of your feelings for Chase."

"Duncan doesn't scare me." Witterquick answered his eyes flashing. "He should leave Chase alone."

"It's not my fault." Chase joined in. "I've done all I can to dissuade his affections."

"True." Leoric agreed. "But it can not be denied that, given his temper, if he became aware of your relationship Witterquick would be a target."

"He tried to killed you Chase. And he claims to love you. Think of that anger directed at a person he doesn't love." Galadria said softly from where she sat.

"Do you see our concern now?" Leoric asked.

"So I should never feel for another person? Never care about anyone in case Duncan hurts them?" Chase asked heatedly. "I won't give him that control over my life Leoric. I won't!"

Her eyes glittered with repressed rage and her totem pulsated wildly. Leoric wondered idly why it was that they wanted to change to their animal form at moments of great passion. Perhaps man was not as far from beasts as he would like to think. He pushed this though away to ask his power staff at a later date. For now he needed to focus on the discussion at hand.

Witterquick was calling out to him. "Leoric! Chase should be free to do as she wishes. Not bound by the unwanted attentions of a Darkling Lord!"

"We're thinking of your best interests." Cryotek shouted, goaded into speech by the attacks on Leoric.

Witterquick turned his anger to face him. "And what if someone tried to tell you that you couldn't see Galadria?"

Galadria looked shocked to see it discussed so openly. The mutual affection between her and Cryotek was widely known, but rarely spoken of. She placed a calming hand on Cryotek's arm and he subsided.

"Leoric, you can't honestly be proposing to keep Witterquick and Chase apart?" Feryl asked in disbelief.

"Aye." Arzon assented. "Do the Darkling Lords really have that much control over us?"

"No." Leoric shook his head as they all turned back to face him. "No they don't control us. And I don't want to control you. I can not force you to do anything. We have merely voiced out concerns and opinions. I ask that you take them away to think about." He nodded and they knew they were dismissed.

Witterquick put an arm around Chase and gave her a squeeze as an offer of comfort. Feryl and Arzon joined them and all four of them left the room.

Leoric looked across to Ectar, he alone had said nothing. Ectar shrugged. What was there to say?

He felt acute embarrassment at his earlier display of anger. Who was he to dictate to either of them what they did? He'd remained silent to better understand the views of everyone present. And still he couldn't see which way was right. If Chase and Witterquick wanted to be together then nothing should stop them. Yet he could see the danger that they were both quite calmly walking into.

O

Chase set an arrow in her bow and focused on the target in front of her. Her attention was elsewhere. Her mind went through the conversation she'd shared with Witterquick last night.

O

"It's not fair." She'd railed.

It wasn't fair. She and Witterquick had always been close, and the flirtation that had sprung up between them had been an ongoing game. They had both been surprised when it turned out to be more than a game. A lingering hand, brushing past each other more than was needed, feeling the gaze of the other.

She hadn't realised that he felt the same way until she had gone to his room to borrow his book on falconry. He'd let her in with his lazy smile.

"Come to tell me my bed time story?"

"It's alright it's a short one. I know your attention span isn't up to much."

He'd laughed and pointed to the collection of books in the corner. "It's one of those."

She'd rolled her eyes and started rooting through the pile. She'd found the book and turned to go. He'd been closer to her than she'd thought and she'd been positioned between him and the wall. His nearness had made her heart skip, her eyes had darted to his lips before gazing up into his eyes. The emotion she'd seen in them had almost scared her. He'd leaned in to her, paused for a moment in case she'd told him to stop, then kissed her. The passion with which she had returned his kiss had surprised her, Witterquick had given a grunt of surprise before deepening the kiss and holding her body close to his. When he had finally let her go she'd been breathing heavily and there was dark colour in her cheeks. They had looked at each other for a silent moment, then both started to speak at once. They hadn't stopped talking all night long. The sun had started to come up before they had both fallen asleep curled up together. Then Ectar had woken them and they'd been hauled before the rest of the Knights.

"It's not fair." She had repeated the words to Witterquick as they stood staring out into the night, as though her saying those words could make him understand it all.

"I know." He'd told her. And she knew that he did understand it, at least part of it. The feelings they had were new. The idea of them being together was new. The problems that it caused were new. It was unfair that it should all come at the same time without allowing them time to adjust.

"What if they are right?" She'd asked in a small voice. "What if I'm putting you in danger. She'd turned to face him. "I don't want anything to happen to you. And they are right about Duncan's temper."

"I'm not scared of Duncan." Witterquick had replied. "What scares me is never being able to hold you again. That we would give up on this. We don't even know what _this _is. The fact that we might give up and never find out. That scares me."

She'd met his clear blue eyes squarely, trying to see if this was bravado talking. He'd met her gaze without flinching. Then opened his arms to her, she had crushed herself against him, seeking comfort in his arms.

"Don't worry." He'd whispered in her ear. "They aren't really mad, they just want to look after us."

She'd nodded, kissed him lightly then headed to bed. She'd expected Ectar to punish her for her missed training lesson. She had arrived a full fifteen minutes early. As if he'd known she was going to be, Ectar was waiting for her.

O

"Chase!"

Ectar's voice snapped her out of the thoughts and brought her back to the now. She had taken too long. She flinched and let the arrow fly; it hit the target just off centre. He couldn't fault her for that. Could he? She didn't know what his feelings were towards her at the moment. He hadn't spoken to her since he had found her and Witterquick together. This morning he had only barked orders at her, urging her to do better and better. She missed being able to talk to him, she had always been close to her uncle, and she didn't want this to come between them.

"Are you still mad at me?"

If her question caught him off guard he didn't show it. "I wasn't mad."

"Liar."

He gave a small chuckle. "Fair point. No, I'm not still mad at you."

She grinned at him, he'd laughed, he wasn't mad at her. She judged that he was ready for some gentle teasing. "Not that I could tell the difference of course. You always behave like that."

Ectar crossed his arms across his chest and looked pointedly at the target. She followed his unspoken request and hit the bulls-eye.

She glanced at him for praise and he nodded with a smile. "Good enough I suppose."


	2. Darkling Encounter

I don't own anything. I just like to write. Enjoy

**Darkling Encounter**

A cheater streaked across the open plain, closely followed by a puma while an eagle swooped overhead, shrieking with the joy of flight.

Witterquick transformed back to human and laughed as the others caught up.

"Slow coaches." He teased.

Chase swiped at him playfully before transforming, herself. Witterquick dodged easily.

"Are you sure this is the right place?" Chase asked.

"Merklynn said it was the tree on this field." Arzon said. "Now all we have to do is collect the nuts."

"Merklynn's requests are always so..." Chase struggled to think of the word.

"Weird." Witterquick supplied.

"I was going to say unfathomable. But weird works just as well."

The three of them set to work gathering the evil smelling nuts from the tree. They were tough to shift, they clung to the tree and had to be grasped firmly with both hands in order to budge them. By the time all the Knights had finished they were holding hands away from their faces in an attempt not to smell them.

"There is a stream over that way." Arzon pointed. "I saw it as I few over."

"Eagle eyes does it again." Chase commented as she and Witterquick followed Arzon.

They rinsed their hands in the cold stream water, taking the time to splash each other as well.

Chase gave a cry as Arzon dumped water down her neck then again as Witterquick followed suit.

"Hey! Two against one is not fair!" She protested splashing them both. They lay on the bank, too busy laughing to be bothered about the water.

"You obviously picked the wrong team." Witterquick told her still grinning. He casually trailed his foot in the water flicking her with tiny droplets. "I guess we should take these nuts to Merklynn."

Chase shared a smile with Arzon; Witterquick never could sit still for more than a few moments.

"I'll take them." Arzon said stretching and preparing to transform to his eagle totem. He picked up the bag of nuts holding them at arms length from his body to try and avoid the smell. "It doesn't take all three of us to carry them to the shrine."

"Are you sure?" Chase asked him.

Arzon nodded. "Just make sure you two behave while I'm gone." He gave them a large wink them changed into an eagle. He soared into the sky with a cry, circled, banked, and then swooped down to grasp the bag on nuts from Witterquick's hand.

They watched him flap his powerful wings to gain height, then fly steadily towards Merklynn's shrine.

Witterquick turned caught Chase and swung her round. "So... What exactly does 'behave' mean?"

Chase laughed as he kissed her neck.

"I don't think that this is behaving."

"No?" Witterquick studied her for a moment. "How about this?" He trailed kisses from her neck up to her ear.

Chase fought to keep her grin off her face. "I don't think so."

"How about this?" With that he caught her lips in a powerful kiss that made the rest of the world fade from view.

The sound of laser blasts brought the world back into sharp focus. They sprang apart both assuming battle positions.

Mortdred and Duncan roared past them in the Dagger Dart. Duncan's fury was clear on his face. He wrestled the controls from Mortdred and turned the craft for another attack.

"He knows!" Chase shoved Witterquick down as the Dagger Dart swooped over them, cutting the sky where they had been standing.

"You have to get out of here." Chase hissed in Witterquick's ear as they watched the plane gain height before turning for another attack. The lasers scorched the ground as they ran.

"There's nowhere to go." Witterquick replied. The single tree in the centre of the plain was the only cover for miles. "I can't just leave you." He told her, covering her with his body as they were forced to the ground again.

They heard Duncan's cry of rage as he shouted at Mortdred. Mortdred was complaining against this continued attack, but Duncan was too incensed to heed him.

Chase glanced back at the stream. "Cover me." She commanded Witterquick and drew her power staff.

Trying to ignore the scene around her she chanted the phrase that bound the power of her staff. "Lake, tide, rain by the hour, lend to me now water's power."

Her power staff burst into life, the water sprite looked down at her benignly. She looked at Chase, saw the Dagger Dart and smiled a thin smile. Feeding off Chase's own feeling for the Darkling Lords and Duncan especially she bared her teeth.

Twin jets of water shot skyward from the river and smashed against the craft causing it to shake violently. Mortdred gave a small moan of fear and pulled the Dagger Dart up. Duncan was swearing at him but Mortdred's sense of self-preservation was stronger than his fear of the other Darkling Lord. He turned the plane back the way they had come. The water spirit sent two more pillars of water shooting after him before she flickered then vanished. Duncan would not be so easily dissuaded. Still cursing Mortdred he leapt off the Dagger Dart and charged towards Witterquick. His heavy battle-axe rang when it clashed with Witterquick's metal boomerang.

"You have no right to her. She is mine!" Duncan grated as he found himself face to face with Witterquick.

"She will never be yours." Witterquick shot back at him before leaping back from Duncan's wild swing. They circled each other warily each looking for an opening or weakness.

"Leave, Duncan." Chase stepped up beside Witterquick, her sai held ready in her hand.

The look Duncan gave her was enough to chill her bone. Lust and loathing held equal place in his emotions as he glared at her.

"He touched you." He spat the words at her.

Witterquick stepped into his line of vision again. "And he is still here."

Duncan leapt at him with a roar, but Witterquick lightly side-stepped his attack. Duncan swerved at the last second and his axe struck Chase's sai. She deflected the blow then leapt lightly aside as he tried for a second. Duncan's third blow was met by Witterquick, forcing him to leave Chase if he wanted to defend himself.

There was a rumble as the Dagger Assault Vehicle came into view.

"Your master is here." Chase taunted Duncan as he swung at her.

"Duncan!" They all heard Darkstorm rage. "Get back here! I have no time for your petty squabbles!"

Duncan turned to glare at his leader. "Darkstorm I am busy."

Witterquick touched Chase's arm then changed into a cheater, she followed his lead and cheater and puma raced across the plain. Duncan looked back too late and yelled his fury after them.

O

"Well at least that solves the problem of Duncan finding out about you two." Feryl said. He and the other Knights sat round the table having supper.

"Leave it to Feryl to find the best in any situation." Cryotek laughed slapping the smaller Knight on the back. Feryl almost landed in his supper.

"Darkstorm is going to have to learn to keep Duncan in line." Ectar commented. "He never listens to him, even in battles."

"Beats me why he became a Darkling Lord in the first place." Witterquick shrugged.

"Well Merklynn gave him his totem power. And he couldn't very well become a Spectral Knight could he." Arzon pointed out. "What other choice was there?"

"Darkstorm would never allow us to have the advantage of superior numbers in any case." Leoric told them.

"It would upset his sense of fair play." Galadria added making them all laugh.

"They'll fight it out between them." Chase said.

"I don't know who I feel more sorry for. Duncan or Darkstorm." Witterquick agreed.

"Feeling sorry for a Darkling Lord. That's something I never thought I'd feel." Ectar grinned.

"Well I made it to Merklynn's shrine alright. And he was very grateful for the nuts, though why I'm not sure." Arzon told them. "To bad I missed out on all the fun."

Chase laughed while Witterquick told him: "You can join us next time. I'm sure there will be no shortage of opportunities to make a mockery of the Darkling Lords."

Leoric rose from the table. "Goodnight friends. I am glad that the day has not proven too dangerous for any of us. We have a meeting with the Botanical Gardening Committee tomorrow. So all of us should sleep well to be fully prepared for that."

"Give me a meeting with the Darkling Lords any day." Cryotek groaned bringing a laugh and murmur of agreement from the others. They all rose and headed their separate ways. Witterquick held Chase back while the others left the room.

"Hey." She chided him, pulling away, but not enough to make him let her go. "I need my sleep even if you don't. I don't relish the meeting tomorrow."

"I can think of something I would much rather be doing than listening to the Botanical Gardening Committee." His breath was hot as he whispered in her ear. She could feel the hairs standing up on her neck as he placed a kiss just under her right ear and then her left.

She knew that she should stop this and get some sleep, but couldn't resist asking coyly: "What would that be?"

"Well it starts here." Witterquick kissed her neck again. "And it ends... Somewhere around here." He captured her lips in a gentle kiss that made her want to melt.

She leaned into him and heard him moan low in his throat. The kiss ignited in a flame of passion that left her head reeling. Her hands coiled around his neck and she ran her fingers through his hair, winding the blonde strands into tight curls. Witterquick held her to him with one arm while the other ran up and down her left side, drifting down to her hip then back up. She couldn't feel his touch through her armour, but the idea of it left her tingling.

They heard a loud cough. Ectar stood in the doorway. "Leoric mentioned that we should all get a good nights sleep."

Witterquick groaned hanging his head so that it rested on her shoulder. Chase looked sheepishly at Ectar. "Just going."

She gave Witterquick a shove in the right direction then headed down the corridor that led to her room. Witterquick watched her go then turned with a sigh to the other end of the hall where the corridor led to his room.

"What did I do to end up with you acting as a parent?" He asked Ectar.

Ectar grinned mirthlessly. "Just good luck I guess."

0

Witterquick lay in his bed thinking of Chase. She made him wild. She was so effortlessly erotic. All the more so because she was totally innocent of the way that she behaved. She had no idea how her kiss could effect him, although she was starting to learn. He smiled to himself, today hadn't turned out too badly. Although thinking about Duncan made him furious. How dare he claim Chase as his? He would never be allowed near her, he vowed to himself. Forcing himself to think only of Chase he recalled their kiss earlier. She could make him feel like he was on fire; just a touch was enough to ignite his passion for her. He rolled over then sat up, he was never going to sleep with Chase floating around in his mind. He got up, dressed then went to knock on Arzon's door.

"Enter." Arzon looked up as Witterquick walked in. "Can't sleep?"

Witterquick shrugged. "Too much going on in my head."

"You mean to much of one person going on in your head."

Witterquick shot him a look.

"Ectar isn't the only one who noticed that you and Chase had stayed behind."

"Ectar." Witterquick sighed.

"He's her uncle. More than that since Chase became one of the Spectral Knights. How do you expect him to act?"

"Like he trusts me."

"He trusts you."

Witterquick made a disparaging noise.

"He trusts you to keep her safe. Trusting you not to hurt her emotionally, that may be to much trust."

"I'd never hurt her."

Arzon shrugged. "Never is a very long time."

"You think I'm going to hurt her?" Witterquick rounded on him. "I wouldn't, I couldn't."

Arzon didn't answer him. Witterquick sighed, his anger left as quickly as it had arrived. "You think to much."

Arzon nodded. "And you could do with thinking a little more sometimes."

Witterquick accepted the criticism. "Sometimes."

"So... You and Chase are getting on alright then?"

Witterquick couldn't stop the smile from spreading across his face. "Oh yeah."

Arzon laughed. "You are so smitten."

"I know. Sickening isn't it."

"Very."

"This must be why Cryotek and Galadria are always making goofy eyes at each other."

Arzon shook his head. "What are we going to do with you?"

"I don't know." Witterquick thrust out his chest. "Kill me now?"

Arzon laughed and threw his pillow at him.


	3. Amazing

I don't own anything. I just like to write

**Amazing**

"Sometimes I swear that Merklynn only gave us these powers so that he would have ready and willing helpers." Feryl grumbled as he drove the Capture Chariot along the dusty road.

"Feryl." Cryotek rebuked him. "We have our power staffs recharged, out city is secure and we are not in any grave danger. I believe that we can spare some of our time to help Merklynn."

Feryl sighed like one deeply wronged. "What was it he wanted us to get? The twisted horn of a newt?"

"The Twisted root gem." Leoric corrected him. "Apparently we will find it in the Castaway Region."

None of the Knights noticed the small green beetle scuttle away along the branch. Mortdred was already thinking of the praise that Darkstorm would give him when he received this news.

"We just have to enter the Minority Maze to find it." Ectar said. "Sounds like a nice place."

"Why can't we ever go to somewhere called the fun zone?" Chase asked.

"Remind me to ask Merklynn next time we're there." Witterquick told her.

Feryl slowed the Capture Chariot as they passed the sign for the Castaway Region. The Knights took in the surrounding area and the accusing stares of the people.

"Looks like a warm welcome." Arzon muttered under his breath.

"We are looking for the Minority Maze. Do any of you know the way?" Leoric asked.

The crowd said nothing, but continued to stare in an unfriendly fashion at them. Ectar flipped a gold coin from one hand to the other.

"We would be willing to pay a guide." He said, as though he didn't expect this to sway them.

A few hands raised. "I know the way." A small little runt of a man called out. "I'll take you."

"Thank you." Leoric pretended not to notice that Ectar had flicked the coin to the man.

Witterquick heard Chase laugh behind her hand as Ectar tipped her a wink. She was glowing today. Her easy smile took in everything around her, as she laughed and worked with the other Knights. He himself couldn't resist the feeling of well-being that seemed to emanate from her, and he could see that it was effecting the others as well.

"Come on." She stood waiting for him as Leoric followed their guide.

He leapt gracefully down to join her.

They followed their less than friendly guide to where the forest started to encroach on the town.

"That's where you start." The little man grunted, waving his hand at the forest.

"Where do we come out?" Cryotek asked.

"Dunno." The man shrugged. "Nobody ever has."

Witterquick snorted and rolled his eyes. "Oh come on." He said when the man glared at him. "Well somebody must have."

"No one I know." The man sniffed. Then turned his back on them and hurried back towards the centre of the town.

The Knights looked apprehensively at the bleak wood.

"Well, lets get on with it." Leoric said starting forward, the others fell into line behind him.

O

They had been walking for over an hour before they came to the fork in the path.

"I don't think much of this maze." Arzon complained. "We've been walking for ages now and this is the first split in the path that we've come to."

Leoric looked as far as he could down both paths. They both looked equally promising.

"We'll split into two teams." He announced. "Witterquick, Galadria, Arzon come with me on the left path. The rest of you take the right path."

He watched Witterquick and Chase to see how they would react to this order. He had no issue with their relationship save if it endangered the rest of the Knights. What happened if they had to work with others? What happened if the good of the team came before their feelings for each other? The Knights shifted into the two teams and waved goodbyes to each other. Calling out comments on who would get there first and what they would get as a reward. Leoric was pleased to see that Witterquick and Chase fell into the teams just like everybody else. He smiled to himself, he was proud of his Knights. He saw Chase hanging on Cryotek's arm, trying to get him to tell a story of before he became a Spectral Knight. Then the heavy trees blocked them from sight.

O

"Please Cryotek. Just one. For me. Please."

Cryotek laughed as Chase pulled his arm in frustration. She wasn't taking no for an answer.

"Just one little story. You saw how long it took us to get to that split path. What if we have to walk the same distance again? We need a distraction. Tell us a story."

She looked pleadingly up at him tugging on his arm like she was a little girl instead of a Knight. "Oh oh, tell the one about how you saved the brother and sister who were trapping in that cave."

"Chase you have heard that one before. At least twice. You must know it by now."

"Then tell me one I don't know. Tell me one that I haven't heard before."

"I truly think that you've heard them all."

"I can't of. There must be another one. Please Cryotek, please."

"Yes, please Cryotek, please." Ectar made his voice a comic impersonation of Chase's. "I can't listen to her whine like this all the way."

Chase seized this. "See, Ectar wants you to tell us a story."

"I don't think I went that far." Ectar muttered dryly.

Feryl laughed as Chase shushed him.

"Oh alright." Cryotek sighed dramatically like it was a huge deal, then launched into a story that he'd clearly had prepared.

Ectar kept his eyes on the surrounding area as they walked. Maybe he was too suspicious, but he didn't like these trees. They fenced them in, blocking their sight. They couldn't see a danger until it was too late. He did not want to be caught unawares. He could hear Cryotek's story building up for the big finale, Chase was hanging off his every word, but managed to catch Ectar's eye and flash him a smile. She reminded him of when he had visited his brother. Then she'd wanted to hear stories of his police work and the crooks that he'd caught. He felt the flash of the bittersweet pain he always had when his thoughts turned to his brother. Delkin had missed so much of Chase's growing up. It wasn't fair, yet he had enjoyed every minute he spent with his niece. He almost felt like her father. He cursed softly at that thought. It was unfair to Delkin to think like that. Chase had been thrust into his life after Delkin's death. It was unfair that such a cruel twist of fate should in one hand take away his brother, but in the other give him the daughter that he'd never had. Whenever he felt happy at the way his life had turned out, he felt like he was betraying Delkin. Chase snapped his out of these dark thoughts by switching her attention from Cryotek's arm to his.

"Your turn." She proclaimed.

"Hu?"

"You didn't think I was going to let you get away without telling us one of your tales did you?" She teased him. She gave his arm a tug for good measure.

Ectar sighed, smiling despite himself.

"I don't know any Chase."

Her eyes widened in comic shock. "That is so untrue."

Ectar grinned at her.

"Hey." Feryl pointed ahead of them to where the path split into three roads. He looked back at them. "Which one do we what?"

"Should we split up again?" Chase asked.

Ectar shook his head. "I think we're safer in a group."

Cryotek nodded his agreement. "So, which one do we choose?"

"We'll go straight." Ectar decided at last. He started forward and the other three followed him in.

O

The Maze had finally started acting like one. Leoric sighed as he was faced with a decision yet again. Every two or three steps, it felt like, he had to make a choice. Which path? Which way? Which direction? He could be taking them round in a huge circle for all he knew. Arzon had tried flying up to guess at the right way. There was a strange kind of magic surrounding the area. When he was in the air he could no longer see the other Knights. Not that that should come as a huge surprise, Leoric thought darkly to himself. Everything these days seemed to be involving magic that hindered them in some way.

"Any ideas?" He asked the others.

"Any path could be the right one." Arzon said with a shrug.

"What do you think Leoric?" Galadria asked.

"I don't know." He admitted. "We could be going in circles."

"I could run down one path and see where it goes?" Witterquick offered.

"No. I don't want to split up any more." Leoric told them. "I don't trust this place not to move around us."

"We must be near the centre by now." Galadria said looking around them. There was nothing in sight to support this claim and she sighed wearily.

"My power staff could take me there." Witterquick suggested, already pulling in out.

Leoric held up a hand to stop him. "But how would you get back? You may need us when you get there."

Witterquick nodded, replacing his staff.

"But you have given me an idea." Leoric drew his own staff. "We need some help, so I'm going to ask for it." He planted his power staff firmly in the ground and recited the charm that bound it. "Whispered secrets of a shattered age, renew thyself upon this sage."

"What do you wish of me Leoric?" The blue owl asked gazing down on them with its huge eyes.

"How can we get ourselves through this maze?"

"One route in and another out." He seemed to smile. "Try to the right." Then faded away.

"One route in and another out?" Witterquick wondered.

"Of course." Leoric snapped his fingers. "Most mazes work to a set system. If you always take a certain fork then you will eventually find your way through. To get in we have to take the right hand path."

"Then what are we waiting for." Galadria said leading the way.

O

The Knights walked in silence. Ectar nodded to himself. They could feel it too. Something was watching them. He did not like being watched. The straight path had led them into an even denser set of trees. It was almost like being in a tunnel as the branches of each side met over head. He glared sharply into the dark woods surrounding them on both sides. What are you waiting for? Ahead he saw the trees start to thin out, sunlight was filtering through the branches. The came out into an open plain and froze. Five giant figures stood watching them. The didn't move, neither did the Knights.

"Can they see us?" Feryl asked.

Ectar nodded. "Oh yes they can see us." He said as one of the figures swivelled its head to look at them more closely.

"Then, why aren't they moving?" Chase asked.

"They want to see what we do next." Cryotek answered.

Ectar pitched his voice to be heard. "We don't want to fight you. But we need to get past."

The figures roared and charged.

"Obviously I said the wrong thing." Ectar muttered. Then he glanced quickly at the others. "Ready? Good. Go!"

"Three suns align, pour forth their light, and fill this archers bow with might." Cryotek roared. His power staff came to life, the archer took aim and fired. The arrow shot through one figure and carried on to hit a second before it disappeared. The figures shattered like china, falling to the ground with a crash.

"They're pottery!" Feryl wondered.

But they didn't have time to discuss it. The other three figures were on them. Weapons clashed and struck, the figures may be made out of pottery, but they made up for it in size and strength. Ectar dodged as the thing took another swipe at him. Although their blows dented and slightly shattered the figures they didn't stop. And the figures could do far more damage. Sooner or later one of those wild swings was going to connect and then there would be trouble. Cryotek deflected a blow and managed to knock the figure's weapon from its hand. The figure gave a grunt, reached over and pulled up a tree. It swung it at Cryotek who dived for cover as the trailing roots almost swept him off his feet. Chase and Feryl were working together to keep one of the figures confused. Every time it swung at one of them, the other struck at it. Their blows seemed to have no effect, but it also couldn't devote all of its time to one of them. It had to keep trying to keep an eye on both of them.

"So what-" Feryl ducked a wild swing. "Do we do now?"

"These things-" It was Chase's turn to duck. "Are clay, right?"

Feryl grunted his agreement.

"And clay it just- Mud, right?" Chase sprang back from the figure. "And what happens to mud when it gets wet?"

Feryl nodded and struck at the figure to get its full attention.

"Lake, tide, rain by the hour, lend me now water's power." The water spirit erupted from the staff, took in the situation, nodded and then disappeared. The skies above darken as water laden clouds crowded closer.

"Storm coming!" Chase yelled, as the clouds opened and the rain poured down.

The figures continued fighting, but had to pause when their arms started to drip to the ground. Every part of them appeared to be melting. Their heads slipped into their bodies as their necks vanished. Until they were just three lumps of brown clay. Then the rain started to slow and finally stop. The sun came out again and the water steamed off the Knights.

"We should leave before they dry out." Chase said. "I don't think it will take them long to put themselves back together."

Ectar nodded trying to wring the water out of his hair and armour. "Next time do you

think that you could manage a _localised_ downpour? Specifically, not over me?"

Chase smiled. "I'm going to take that as a thank you."


	4. Into Battle

I don't own anything. I just like to write

**Into Battle**

There was another split in the path. Leoric again chose the right hand path. It was thinner and darker, the other path was wide and bright, open and inviting.

"We must be going the right way." Arzon muttered. "Somebody really wants us to pick the other path."

"Is somebody changing the path? Or has it always been like this?" Galadria wondered.

"Maybe both." Witterquick shrugged.

They came out through the trees to another split. Again they went right. Leoric stared down the path, this one seemed to go on for miles. It was a open path for miles and miles in a straight line. He sighed and kept walking.

There was a moment of uncertainty as his feet tried to tell his brain something different to his eyes. And then his eyes caught up with him. He was on a different landscape, silver sand scuffed and blew against his boots. Silver sand that was the only feature for as far as the eye could see in any direction. There was no noise, just the silent sound of the desert, so vast that it sucked in sound.

"Leoric!" Witterquick burst through behind him, closely followed by Arzon and Galadria.

"Are you alright, Leoric?" Galadria asked.

"Yes, I'm fine."

"Where are we?" Arzon asked.

"The Centre Of The Maze." A voice echoed around them. The sand in front off them started to shift and then a pillar rose upwards. It was followed by another and another until the area was covered in pillars each displaying a different item.

"Take What You Have Come For. No More. No Less." The voice boomed again.

The Knights glanced around at the items, over half of them were gems of some description.

"How do we know that we've got the right one?" Witterquick asked.

"We seek the Twisted root gem." Leoric said, raising his voice to be heard.

The ground trembled slightly and one pillar rose higher than the rest. Leoric approached the pillar, that was now at shoulder height.

"I guess this is the one." He plucked it off the pillar and waited. Nothing happened. Everything stayed as it was. He turned and walked back the way he had come.

"Nothing more, nothing less." He whispered to himself. There was the feeling of uncertainty again, then he found himself back in the maze, surrounded by trees. The other three appeared next to him.

"Now all we have to do is find our way out." Arzon murmured.

"A different way to the way that we came in." Galadria added.

Leoric looked back at the way they had come to get here, then to Witterquick who already seemed to have solved the puzzle.

"We just go left." He exclaimed. "Leoric's staff told us to go right on the way in. Going back another way just mean we reverse it. So we take the left path."

The Knights set off, going left every time they were offered a path.

"Witterquick, use your staff to locate Ectar and the others. Tell them the key to getting out of the maze. We'll meet you at the Capture Chariot."

"Yes, Leoric." Witterquick nodded, planted his feet firmly and chanted. "Sheath these feet in a driving gale, make swift my legs, overland I sail."

The winged spirit wound itself around him then soured away over the trees.

"Leaving us to take the long route back." Arzon grumbled with a grin.

O

Feryl pointed out the dot on the horizon as it got closer and closer.

"It's Witterquick." Chase called out, waving wildly.

Witterquick landed and the spirit unwound and vanished.

"Leoric and the others? Do they need help?" Ectar asked hurriedly.

"No, they're fine." Witterquick assured him. "We've found the Twisted root gem and they are heading back to the vehicles."

The Knights relaxed as Witterquick filled them in on what had happened. "Leoric sent me to let you know, and to tell you how to get out of here." He shrugged. "You just have to take the left path."

"Well lets go." Cryotek said heading back the way they had come.

"Will we have to pass those things?" Feryl asked.

"Wasn't there a fork just after them?" Chase asked. "I'm sure I remember one. If we go left there, then that will take us down a different path."

"What things?" Witterquick asked. Chase and Feryl filled him in while Ectar and Cryotek led the way.

O

Leoric spotted the Capture Chariot through the trees, they were almost out. He for one had had quite enough of trees. He couldn't wait for a road that didn't try to loose you every other step.

He crossed the ridge and looked down at where the vehicles were. Something didn't feel right. Some six sense was trying to warn him, something just felt wrong. His suspicions were confirmed when a boulder crashed into the rockface next to him.

"Leoric, look out!" Galadria cried.

"Darkling Lords!" Arzon shouted.

The Dagger Assault Vehicle came into full view as another boulder soared towards them. The Knights threw themselves to the ground as it sailed past them. Darkstorm was shouting orders to the other Darkling Lords.

"Cravex, Lexor, Cindarr. Get up there. I want that jewel."

"Here, help me." Leoric told the other two as he started pushing at the rocks at the lip of the ridge. They tumbled down the cliff scattering the Darkling Lords as they started their climb.

"Darkstorm, maybe it would be better to climb up another way." Lexor suggested pleadingly, picking himself up.

"Stop your snivelling and get up there!" Darkstorm yelled aiming a kick at where Lexor had been.

"I'll settle this." Cravex declared, changing into his phylot totem. His powerful wings carried him up towards the Spectral Knights.

"We can't let him see that it's just the three of us." Galadria hissed.

Arzon nodded. "I'll try and distract him." He transformed into his eagle and rose up to meet the phylot. The large beast swiped at him with his wing, Arzon dodged and rose for another attack.

Cravex screamed at him and snapped at the smaller bird. Arzon just managed to out manoeuvre him in time, then came back attacking again.

"Arzon will get himself killed." Leoric muttered.

"Not if I can help it." Galadria said hefting a rock. She took aim and hit Cravex a glancing blow that called his attention away from Arzon. Leoric joined her and the two of them pelted Cravex with stones, he screamed at them then swooped down to land.

Darkstorm was raging again. His furious cries spurred the Darkling Lords into action and they once again started scaling the cliff. Cravex was in the lead screaming about death and destruction. Only Reekon stayed with Darkstorm to power the Dagger Assault. Lexor hung to the back, clearly not wanting to enter the fray. Mortdred followed climbed with gusto. "I will get that which you desire oh Master Darkstorm." He called out.

"Doesn't he ever stop boot licking?" Galadria asked.

"Not even when he sleeps." Arzon replied drawing a wry smile from the other two.

Cravex reached the top of the ridge and threw himself into battle with a cry of vengeance. The Spectral Knights rose to the challenge as Cindarr also reach the top.

"But there are only three of them." Virulina called out incredulously.

Lexor leapt into battle as he heard this. "And they shall face me."

"Three?" Darkstorm called up.

"Then where are the others?" Reekon murmured. "They will not be far."

The three Knights were soon over powered and Mortdred stepped forward to claim the Twisted root gem off Leoric.

"I have it Master Darkstorm." He held it aloft, waving it at Darkstorm.

A boomerang sent it spinning from his grasp.

"You _had_ it." Witterquick corrected him.

A blue puma leapt into the air, caught the gem in it's mouth, twisted and landed neatly. Chase transformed, and rolled as the Darkling Lords struck at where she had been.

"Feryl." She hurled the gem into the air where a blue wolf snatched it up and dashed away.

"Get him!" Darkstorm yelled.

"Spectral Knights!" Leoric commanded and the Knights joined the battle.

Cravex was already chasing after Feryl, his phylot being the fastest of the Darkling Lords totem animals. Witterquick and Arzon were in hot pursuit, Witterquick in the hoverchair from the Chapture Chariot.

A huge polar bear and a gorilla were fighting it out as Cindarr and Cryotek crossed paths. Virulina and Galadria circled each other warily, watching the other for an opening. Elsewhere Darkling Lords and Spectral Knights crossed swords, changing from human to beast and back to gain an advantage.

Chase saw Reekon and Lexor converge on Ectar, she started towards him when a heavy weight dropped onto her shoulders. Duncan's boa constrictor eyes met hers, he hissed in her face as he wrapped another coil around her. Her breathing was starting to become restricted, Duncan was eyeing her evilly. She smiled sweetly at him and transformed to a puma, she was suddenly thinner and managed to wriggle out of Duncan's coils. She changed back to human in time to block his first blow. His axe grazed her armour, but she had stopped the main blow. Duncan twisted his axe so that the flat of the blade was striking at her.

"I don't want to hurt you, Chase."

"No? Just knock me senseless?" She questioned as she ducked a blow that would indeed have left her reeling.

"Maybe I could knock some sense into you." He panted side-stepping her swipe at him with her sai. "We belong together."

She shook her head. "No. Never. Not ever."

"I love you." He stepped back for a second, glaring at her. "You belong to me."

Chase growled, then stepped forward closing the gap between them. She reversed her sai and butted him in the stomach with the handle of the blade. Duncan gave a groan but came forward to defend himself. Chase didn't give him the chance, keeping on the attack and giving him no chance to counter attack.

"I. Do. Not. Belong. To. You." She hissed furiously at him, punctuating each word with a strike.

Duncan reared back from her onslaught and raised his axe. Chase swivelled her sai to bring the blade back into play.

"Give up, Duncan."

"Never."

He pulled out his power staff and smiled in a way that made her shiver. "Snoring sound and dreaming deep send me now the sand of sleep." A wizened old man with a heavy sack appeared from his staff, hovering in mid-air. The old man grinned maliciously.

"Can your boyfriend fly?" Duncan asked. The old man smirked then took off towards Witterquick who was swooping around Cravex in the hoverchair.

"No!" Chase cried as the man reached into his sack and threw sand in Witterquick's face.

Instantly the Knight fell forward over the controls as sleep overtook him. The hoverchair started to plummet with Witterquick's dead weight on the controls.

"Witterquick!" Chase yelled as though she could wake him with her shout. Then she was gone, a puma racing towards where Witterquick would fall.

Arzon banked suddenly as he heard Chase's cry. His keen eagle eyes spotted Witterquick and he folded his wings in tight and dropped after his friend.

The little old man didn't stop with Witterquick, he had already moved on the Galadria showering her with sand and moving on again until Leoric's whip caught him, causing him to vanish.

Arzon caught hold of Witterquick a few feet off the ground. The hoverchair righted itself as his weight was removed. Arzon dropped him into one of the seats on the Capture Chariot. Chase was at his side in an instant.

"Is he alright?" She asked frantically.

"I think so. I caught him before he hit." Arzon told her.

"Ducan's power of sleep got Galadria as well." Ectar called, as he deflected twin blows aimed for him and Galadria.

"Duncan." Chase's eyes narrowed. She changed back to a puma and roared. Then she set off, through the many battles that were still being fought. Her huge paws struck Duncan at chest height knocking him off his feet on to his back. His head bounced on the ground bringing it into close proximity with Chase's bared teeth. He recoiled and struggled to wriggle away from her. Chase growled deep and low in her throat, a growled that rumbled deeper and longer than it should. Duncan's eyes widen with fear.

"What's the matter Duncan?" Reekon chuckled dryly. "Your lady love suddenly not so appealing?"

Ectar took advantage of his lapse of concentration to get in a lucky blow. Reekon cursed and swiped back at him.

Cravex's phylot swooped overhead and dropped a stone for Darkstorm.

"I have it." Darkstorm cried out. "Darkling Lords, victory is ours. Away."

Chase glanced towards him as he waved the gem triumphantly. Duncan seized the opportunity to transform to his snake totem and slide away. Chase snapped her head back round to roar at him, then she padded over to Feryl's wolf who was slinking out from the undergrowth.

"The Darkling Lords have the Twisted root gem." Ectar cried, starting after the departing Darkling Lords.

"No." Feryl corrected him, changing back to human. "He thinks he has the gem." He smiled and produced the Twisted root gem. "I let Cravex think that he had it. It was the only way to get him off my tail.

"Well done Feryl." Leoric congratulated him.

"If Witterquick and Galadria are safely strapped in, we can be off." Cryotek said, swinging himself into the driving seat of the Capture Chariot. The Knight's climbed aboard and headed home. Chase sat next to Witterquick watching him intently for any signs of him waking. There wasn't one, he slept soundly his head resting on her shoulder.

When they arrived back they put Witterquick and Galadria in their quarters. Chase wanted to stay with Witterquick but Ectar led her away.

"Who knows how long he'll sleep for. He's fine. Leave him be and get some rest yourself."

"I can't sleep."

"You can and you will." Ectar told her. "Follow Witterquick's example. I'm sure he and Galadria will sleep till morning. You should do the same."

"It's my fault." Chase studied his face for any sign that he agreed with her.

"No it's not."

"It is. Just like you said. Duncan went after him because of me."

"And Galadria? You think he went after her because of you too?"

Chase hung her head and didn't reply.

"Get some sleep. We'll talk in the morning."

She nodded and moved slowly to her room with many a backward glance at Witterquick's room.

O

Witterquick woke, rolled over and opened his eyes. He was surprised to see that he was still dressed in his armour. He sat up, trying to remember when he had gone to bed. It must have been late if he hadn't bother to change.

"No, wait…" It suddenly came back to him. Duncan's power of sleep. He'd been wide awake one second and fast asleep the next. What had happened next? He got up, changed, dressed and hurried to find the others. Did the Darkling Lords manage to get the gem?

"Hey." Feryl greeted him. "So you finally decided to wake up then."

"Who's awake?" Chase came round the corner. "You're up!" She threw herself and him and hugged him tightly.

Witterquick kissed her lightly. "So what happened?"

"Feryl managed to trick Cravex into thinking that he had the gem." Chase told him.

Feryl shrugged. "And then they all just left."

Witterquick grinned. "Those guys never hang around long enough for us to totally beat them."

O O O O O O O O O O

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